Aerial ship.



P. W. SCHROEDER.

AERIAL $HIP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1909.

959,266, Patented May 24, 1910.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK w. sonaonnnn, or KENNINGTON, LO1\IDON, ENGLAND.

AERIAL Specification of letters Patent;

Application fileilltovember 4, 1909. Serial 170-5%,242.

. pellers or helicopters which are mounted in one or more rows, longitudinally of the ship,'

aid in pairs to rotate in opposite directions about a common vertical axis, but according to this invention the direction of rotation of successive pairs isarranged to alternate so as to neutralize anyhorizontal turning movements that may be applied to the hull of the ship by the rotation of the vertical shafts and helicopters. Successive vertical shafts maybe placed a distance apart equal to the diameter of the helicopters or they may be placed at a lessdistance apart and at the same level, in which case correspondin helicopters on adjacent shafts will be oriented re atively to each other so that horizontally adjacent blades rotating in opposite directions may clear each other in rotating. One convenient method of driving the helicopters or lifting propellers in the required manner isby two oppositely rotating longitudinal shafts driven by a suitable motor or motors. One of the two driving shafts may be arranged to drive all the lower helicopters with oppositely cut worm gear on successive shafts, while the otherdriving shaft is similarly geared with the -upper helicopter shafts. The shafts are suitably guyed and braced to each other and to the frame of the hull and the helicopters ma be provided with reinforcin arms exten ing outwardly an accident or stoppage of the motor 'by the below the bla es, the tips of which are braced or tied to the ends of these arms. These arms may themselves be in the form of smaller subsidiary blades lying across the main blades at a small angle and rigidly connected. therewith along their inner portions.

In the case of the upper helicopters these inner portions of the reinforcing blades are formed to receive collapsed parachutes of suitable shape, the up er ends of which are attached to rings whic slide on the vertical shafts. These parachutes are designed to check the speed of the descent in the event of 'of the shafts where the which engages the arachute rin adapted to yield an er any consi erable up- Patented May 24, 1910.

vided in the inner parts of the lades for this purpose and expanding the envelop, the rings on the upper ends sliding up to the top are arrested by a cap or collar. The co apsed and folded parachutes may be secured on the top of the upper helicopters by a suitable spring catch and are wardly acting force, and "by .a'number of bunt-lines or the like securin the parachute to the helicopter and adapte to fetch-away under any considerable upwardly acting force.

The means provided for propelling the vessel horizontally are of the ordinary character and may consist of a stern propeller or'pro ellers or of a forward propeller or propel ers or of-both kinds.

To provide against undue shock on impact with ground the hull is provided on its underside with a series-of compressed air cushions or equivalent pneumatic or other elastic check. s i

In the accompanying'drawings Figure 1 1s a general view of an airshi constructed according to the present inventlon, and 2 and 3 are aplan view and an elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the lifting ropellers or helicopters, the blades of w ich are designed for right-handed rotation viewed from above.

Asftherein illustrated, the longitudinal shafts a, b are both rotated at the same speed and in the same direction through suita le gearing from the main engine which is not shown in the drawing. Five upper row 0' of helicopters being fixed on the five vertical shafts d which are driven pairs of through worm gearing e from the longitudinal shaft a, the worms and, Worm wheels being'cut so that successive vertical shafts are rotated in opposite directions. The lower helicopters c are fixed on vertical tubular shafts d encircling the shafts d and driven from the other longitudinal shaft "6 through worm gearing e which is cut so that each of the shafts d rotates in the dibearings carried by the frame of'the machine. The shafts d d may be at a distance apart equal to the full diameter of the helicopters so that these may be rotated as described without necessarily being in any definite phase relation, or they may be spaced as shown, in which case the phases of the helicopters on successive shafts differ by 90 so as to enable the vanes to clear each other.

Any suitable motor may be used to drive the helicopters and thesame or a separate motor to drive the propeller f. In the drawings the ropeller f 1s geared to one of the horizonta shafts, but preferably it would be driven either by a separate motor or else geared to the same motor asthe helicopters but-in such manner that the speeds of the pro eller and the helicopters may be varied in ependently. The altitude of the machine is primarily varied or maintained constant by rotating the helico ters at an appro riate speed, althou h tilting aeroplanes or e evatin rudders 0 known construction may be use to supplement the action of the helicopters. As shown in the drawing a single stern propeller f and a bow steering ru der 9 are fitted, but these may obviously be transposed or duplicated.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the helicopters are of the character of two blade propellers, the blades of the various helicopters being set, according to the direction of rotation of the shafts on which they are mounted, to tend to lift the machine when the are rotated. The blades are of any suitab e construction and material, and being referably as light as possible they are tied against upward'fiexure by tension wires 2' or the like connecting the blades with a stiff bar or yard j lying below and acrossthe main blades at a small angle and rotating therewith. The ends of these yards are shaped as auxiliary lifting. vanes and the central portions of the main and auxiliary blades are in the case-of the upper helicopters dished or otherwise shaped to accommodate the collapsed parachutes. Holes 7:: in this central portion are provided to enable the air, when the machine begins to descend at any considerable speed, to rush into the parachutes, causing the retaining devices previously mentioned to break away or yield so as to enable the parachutes to expand as shown at m in Fig. 1. As therein shown the parachutes m are fitted with central openings or rings 12. which slide on vertical poles which are preferably extensions of the shafts d when as shown the cords 0 of the parachute are attached to the central portion of the helicopter. A stop 7; on the vertical shafts arrests the rings a at the appropriate points. The poles or shafts are suitably guyed or otherwise braced to the. frame of the machine.

Carried below the frame of the machine means for operatin ea is a series of cushions consisting of a great number of tubes 9 made of balloon or other suitable light and impervious material, which tubes, when inflated with air or other gas, serve to reduce shock on impact-with the ground and when filled with a gas lighter than air give a certain buoyancy to the apparatus. These tubes vertically disposed are arran ed in longitudinal rows and are filled wlth as from correspondingly placed distributing pipes 7", the branch pipes 1 to each bag belng provided with a suitable valve or stop cock. These valves may be arranged to be opened or closed simultaneousl or in groups by any suitable mechanism w ich can be operated from the drivin or steering platform. The tubes are 0 suflicient length to be effective on uneven ground or for an uneven keel in coming to ground.

I am aware that it has been proposed to provide beneath the car of air machines three or'more grounding neumatic buffers gonsisting of an envelop o rubbered fabric,

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an'air ship, a plurality of shafts having lifting propellers or helicopters arranged in coaxial and op ositely rotating pairs thereon, auxiliary li ing vanes lying below and across the main blades of the helicopters at a slight angle and connected therewith, and means for rotating each helicopter in a direction opposite to adjacent helicopters.

2. In an air ship, a plurality of lifting propellers or helicopters arranged in coaxial and oppositely rotating pairs, auxiliary liftin vanes 1 ing below and across the main blades o the helicopters at a slight angle, ties connecting the main blades of the helicopters with the auxiliar vanes to prevent them from bending, an means for rotating each helicopter in a direction opposite to adjacent helicopters.

3. In an air ship, a plurality of lifting propellers or helicopters arranged in upper and lower positions and in coaxial and oppositely rotating pairs, means for operating the helicopters, and a series of parachutes normally collapsed and resting upon the upper surfaces of the upper helicopters and adapted to expand automatically when the ship acquires any considerable downward velocity.

4. In an air ship of the character specified, a frame, a plurality of lifting propellers or helicopters arranged in coaxial and oppositely rotating pairs on the frame,

0 helicopter to rotate the same in a irection opposite to adjacent helicopters, and a series of vertically disposed gas bags carried below the frame of the ship. l

5. In an air ship of the class specified,

the combination of a frame, a longitudinal and adapted to expand automatically when row of vertical shafts arranged on the the ship acquires any considerable down- 7 frame, upper and lower lifting propellers ward velocity,v and a series of vertically 15 or helicopters arranged in-coaxia and opdisposed'gas bags carried. below the frame 5 positely rotating pairs, means for rotating of the ship.

. each helicopter in a direction opposite to In testimony whereof 'I have signed my adjacent helicopters, auxiliary lifting vanes name to this specification in the presence lying below and across the main blades of of two subscribing witnesses.

the helicopters at a slight angle and con- SCI-IROEDER. [11. s.] 10 nected to said blades, a series of parachutes Witnesses: I

normally collapsed and resting upon the up- EDWARD GARDNER,

per surfaces of the uppermost helicopters- WALTER J. SKERTEN. 

